Watching Pornography: What Does the Bible Say?
I am here to tell you that the Bible says absolutely nothing about watching pornography. This is because the first “official” movie didn’t come out until April 23, 1896 at Koster and Bial’s Music Hall in New York City.
I was going to inform you when the first adult film came out but my Blue Coat K9 Web Protection wouldn’t allow me to search for it.
Though the Bible doesn’t say anything specifically about viewing porn it’s also not completely silent on the topic.
Biblical View of Sex
This is not an exhaustive list but here are a few things the Bible mentions on the topic of sex:
- “For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” (Matthew 15:19 NIV)
- “What comes out of a person is what defiles them.For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” (Mark 7:20 NIV)
- “Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.” (Romans 13:13 NIV)
- “But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.” (1 Corinthians 5:11)
- “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18)
Just looking at these five verses we can see that sexual immorality is not viewed as okay by Jesus and Paul.
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:5-7 NIV)
What is Sexual Immorality?
Look back up at Romans 13:13. In this passage the word sexual immorality is referring to sexual intercourse but not in the good sense. It is speaking of sexual excesses. Paul is saying that it isn’t healthy to just have sex anywhere, anytime, and with anybody we want.
“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime…” Here day is being used figuratively. We are to walk in the daytime, the light, or put another way, we should walk as new creatures in Christ.
The darkness and the way of the world belongs to Satan and the old way of life. The light belongs to Jesus and the new way of life.
Is the Bible Anti-Sex?
Not at all. God did create sex after all… and no, it wasn’t just to make babies. He also created it for our enjoyment. If you need proof then I suggest you read the entire book of Song of Solomon.
It is my opinion that sex is most fulfilling within the context of a healthy marriage. Sex outside of marriage just seems too risky and I am not just talking about getting an STD.
There is a lack of trust with people who are together but not married. What happens if you have sex with a woman, even a woman you love, but then she eventually leaves you? Specifically, what happens to you?
One does not just get over a terrible situation like this. The person is affected both physically and spiritually.
I know a man who lost 30 pounds after he and his girlfriend broke up. Depression set in and he just wouldn’t eat. Spiritually he was a wreck. His relationship with God was damaged and didn’t heal for quite sometime. Sure, God forgave him as soon as he confessed his sin and asked for forgiveness but the idea of being a fraud before God took a while to pass.
To this day he and his ex-girlfriend do not talk to each other. Here are two Christians who committed sexual immorality and they will probably never speak to each other again this side of eternity. What a shame!
Watching Pornography is Okay, Right?
“If I watch pornography by myself nobody gets hurt, right?
Let me be clear: When we sin, somebody always gets hurt.
- Viewing pornography is an addiction. Addictions are never satisfied.
- Viewing pornography makes one feel empty. Sex was created to be experienced between a male and female in the context of marriage.
- Viewing pornography is void of love. The viewer does not love the person on the screen or vice versa.
- Some porn “stars” willing choose to enter this horrible business but others have been sold into it. When one views porn, they may be unknowingly supporting the sex slave industry.
- Bottom line, when one views pornography they are not promoting peace or Christ’s love.
Sin not only hurts the sinner but it also hurts God. God created us to be holy just like Him.
My challenge for this article is that all of us would see the world as God sees it! That we would love His creation as He loves it. That we would strive for maturity, peace and Christ’s holiness! When we do that then we know the answer to whether or not it is okay to watch pornography.
Image by Danilo Rizzuti